Electronic devices normally have several buttons or keys to operate various functions, and more features usually require the use of either more buttons or combination of buttons.
For these products, there are often one or two popular functions that are frequently used. Most products would provide one large single function button for users' ease of access. For example, most heart rate monitor watches often include a big “quick-start” button which, upon pressing, will immediately switch the watch from the time mode to the heart rate measuring mode. Alarm clocks are another example, on which there is often a big snooze button for temporarily stopping the alarm beeps.
However, conflict may arise when there are more than one popular feature in an electronic device, and individual users may have different preference of the feature they need most. It is obviously not feasible that every feature is served by a dedicated button. The provision of a large button in some cases is difficult if not impossible, for example on a wristwatch. In certain situations, whilst a specific button has been assigned to perform a certain function, the button may be difficult to locate or press especially in a dark environment or when the user is occupied for example doing exercise.
An example of the prior art can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,274, in which there is disclosed a shock switch and a posture detecting switch that are combined into an electronic device to perform an automatic operation such as turning on of the backlight of a wristwatch. One of the disadvantages of this design is that putting so many components into a small electronic device like a wristwatch is relatively complex and expensive.
The invention seeks to obviate or at least alleviate such a problem or shortcoming by providing a novel or otherwise improved shock-activated switch device.